I guess few of you know the Czech writer Karel Capek, now seen as a science fiction writer. One of his works I was suddenly reminded of by the Eshal, is War with the Newts.

Very briefly:

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The story centers on the discovery of the newts, or a humanoid, relatively intelligent marine animals. The species is Andrias scheuchzeri which is an actually existing fossile Giant Salamander, once mistaken for a fossilized human being who was a Witness of the Great Flood.

Humans quickly get the newts working for them, initially to gather pearls and later to do underwater earthworks, such as improvements in the harbors and canals. Later, the governments desiring territorial expansion decide to use them to build artificial islands and continents in the sea, but this absurd idea does not really get far.

At some point, however, the newts get organized, stop obeying the humans, and set about to blow up the Earth's continents to convert them into shallow littoral waters which are their ideal habitat. Ironically, the newts themselves cannot manufacture the necessary explosive and metal tools (under water they cannot manufacture anything, probably), so they receive all that from the human governments. Each government considers their "own" newts a military force in defense of national interests, and does not wish to stop aiding them lest other governments keep aiding their newts and use them against them. So, soon enough, quite a few nations get sunk, including Germany and much of China. The sinking apparently is done in a rapid, total manner even for very large areas of land.

The story ends with humans not being able to stop, or stop supporting, the newts, and in fact on the verge of extinction. Here, in a chapter called "author converses with himself", the author steps in explicitly and proposes a possible reason for the extinction of the newts that would allow humans to survive.

So, thinking about the amphibian Eshal (and other races), do they change their own enviroment in this way? And would a contact with land-based races end like this?

The Eshal actually have made quite a few changes to their enviroment.To aid communication and tranport across the vast domains they have conquered,they have built huge canals that link the lagoons and bays that make up the watery continent of Tarrod.

Now as for your second question,it is hard to predict the outcome.The Eshal regard air-breathing beings as demons that are to be feared or slain.So unless defeated by overwhelming force,they would probally slay on the spot any dry landers that visited their watery home.Either that,or they would turn tail and flee.Of course,the drylanders could convince the Emperor that they are not demons,but rather people who could do with cheap Esha labourers.And willing to give new technoology in return.

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“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

Well,Captain,the islanders were never really conquered by the Eshal.They just chose to worship them as divine beings of water.They were actually immigrants from on of the nerar by islands.They were forced to flee to Tarrod by another tribe,where they first encountered the Eshal and accepted them as overlords.I doubt if the Eshal would greet all humans that way though.Adventurers from the civilized world,bearing steel swords and and wearing metal armor,would probally be greeted as the evil demons of folklore.The Ehsal know almost nothing about humans,apart fom the islanders.

I am glad you like the Artifacts.I intend to give them their own thread soon and hint at the dark fate that befell their creators.

If possible,could you give me some advice as to where I should put the 6 Commandments and the priestly administration?Should I put them under the Brave People thread ,or free that up for updates on Eshal culture and art instead?I've never done anything like this before,so the task is a little daunting.

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“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

Not at all,Nosredna. This is the thread where comments of any kind are welcome. To answer your question as to how long it took me,I would say slightly over half a year. It was a long process,filled with much thinking and brain storming. But I cannot take sole credit for this. The contributions of Sascramax and the Captain enhanced it greatly.

If you decide to use,it I hope you have as much fun as I did making it.

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“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

Well this is a roleplaying setting Nosredna. Thus I'd guess you would use it if you were to GM a RPG session. I'd wager that Maggot hopes you would have fun while doing so, for he surely enjoyed creating the Eshal setting.